Breaking up Pu-erh?

[Drybonz]

I just ordered a cake of Pu-erh. This is the first time I have bought loose leaf tea that comes in a cake... I'm basically a fine tea noob.

My question is... do you guys generally break off bits of the cake as you use it, or break it all up when you receive it and store it broken up?

I should add that I plan to drink it daily and not store it for an extended period of time.

Thanks.

 

[kimble22]

I just ordered a cake of Pu-erh. This is the first time I have bought loose leaf tea that comes in a cake... I'm basically a fine tea noob.

My question is... do you guys generally break off bits of the cake as you use it, or break it all up when you receive it and store it broken up?

I should add that I plan to drink it daily and not store it for an extended period of time.

Thanks.

Drybonz, welcome into the world of puerh! Your question is a good one. As with all things tea, there's more than one way to skin a cat. There will be no substitute for trial and error/success and experience. If you want to prepare a tea using all the old masters techniques, read Lu Bu. I personally don't feel tied to any particular traditions, except for respecting the tea and my guests. Even "techniques" are different between old masters, as no humans or preferences are the same.

As for your question, I'd assume that most here on B&B just break cakes as they go, and that is probably the most convenient. But depending on a few factors that may not be the best way to prepare a tea for drinking. The other way (done by all my HK friends), is to store the tea in a tea jar for at least a month, to even out and circulate the tea, and also enliven it before brewing it. This process can enhance aroma, and especially with older cakes you would want to mix the part that has been exposed to air for 10 years with some of the tea from the middle to smooth everything.

Their are endless varieties of storage methods and options. I usually break off a 1/4 or 1/2 for storage in clay jars before I enjoy. I must say the aroma changes quite dramatically in just a couple days. Since you plan to drink it daily I thinks it's much more convenient to break it all at once if you have something appropriate to store it in.

 

[ouch]

I try to keep the bing as intact as possible, so I break off a sizeable chunk that will last for several sessions, then prize apart a suitable amount when I'm ready to brew. I also don't like to break up the chunks too much when brewing, as I prefer the flavors to release slowly.

 

[netsurfr]

I generally follow the "Ouch" method above. However, if you are interested in breaking up an entire cake I have included a video from the internet on my site at this url: http://www.jas-etea.com/pages/Pu%252derh-tea-.html

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Drybonz]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I should also have mentioned that I don't plan to use a traditional brewing method. I'm sure some would frown upon that, but I will probably just enjoy the tea casually. I usually brew tea in my French press.

That said, would you still recommend breaking off a small piece and leaving it intact when I begin to brew the tea?

I'm thinking the most convenient thing for me would be to break it up when I receive it and then use some every day as I brew, but it sounds like some of you suggest that the best experience would be to leave it intact as long as possible?

 

[Proinsias]

If it's a daily drinker I'd just break the thing up in a oner. The 3rd video down in the link Steve posted is probably the easiest way, and by someone with a great deal of experience in the world of pu'er.

 

[netsurfr]

If you are going to drink it everyday using a french press, then breaking it up all at once would probably be best. However, I would just caution that a french press does not necessarily give the degree of control that you may want with a pu-erh tea. Then again, I have not tried it using that method so I could be wrong. Using a french press, I think I would be pressing immediately and pouring the tea off immediately to prevent the tea from becoming too potent.
Cheers,
Steve

 

[Drybonz]

Using a french press, I think I would be pressing immediately and pouring the tea off immediately to prevent the tea from becoming too potent.

Oh wow... I didn't even notice, at first, in your signature, that jas-etea was your website. I have been browsing over it the last few days, it is very nice. Thanks for the replies.

What do you recommend as a preparation method for someone like me who just wants to drink/prep casually? Would an infuser cup be better for me?

Thanks again.

 

[Born2bwire]

If I like a bing and know I'll be using it a lot I break up the entire cake and store it in a clay jar. In fact, I should have a bing that I started storing a month ago or so that should be ready for steady consumption. What I use is one of those picks that you use to get the meat out of nuts. Starting from the side of the outer edge of the bing I insert the pointed end of the pick. It should go in rather easily and then slight leveraging will break off layers of the cake. Just doing this and working from the outside in breaks apart even a rather densely processed cake rather easily. Just be careful not to impale your hand with the pick.

 

[Drybonz]

Thanks for the advice. I broke up my first cake yesterday. I have this knife/pick that is used for pulling wedges out of a cut grapefruit. I used that, and it worked, but it is a little too "flexy", and this made it a little tricky. I will probably get a nut cracking and picking set or something like that.

 

[_JP_]

A letter opener can make a good puerh knife. I have seen a video of a well respected tea master using one of those to break up a whole tea cake. For myself when I was drinking tea (I hope that I redevelop a taste for it again, soon!), I would just break off chunks to use and leave the rest of the cake whole.

 

[Drybonz]

A letter opener can make a good puerh knife.

Oh, good call. I have a basic letter opener that has been sitting in my desk drawer since the invention of email. I will just use that.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[arghblech]

I have both an icepick and an oyster knife for breaking up cakes. Both are very effective.

 

[jwhite]

A nice wood handled scratch awl works well also. Does no-one steam there cakes? I've been considering this for a Mengku sheng my sister has recently sent me from her last trip. It is what is recommended on the Nei Piao (info sheet on the bing).

 

[Proinsias]

A nice wood handled scratch awl works well also. Does no-one steam there cakes? I've been considering this for a Mengku sheng my sister has recently sent me from her last trip. It is what is recommended on the Nei Piao (info sheet on the bing).

This thread might be worth looking at:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14419

 

[jwhite]

This thread might be worth looking at:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14419

Thanks for the link.

 

[netsurfr]

A nice wood handled scratch awl works well also. Does no-one steam there cakes? I've been considering this for a Mengku sheng my sister has recently sent me from her last trip. It is what is recommended on the Nei Piao (info sheet on the bing).

I sometimes steam a tuo. It is very convenient and makes for easy use. Just make sure to let the tea air out completely and dry. Otherwise, you will have a moldy mess.

 

[Chrisl]

Hi Steve:

I didn't realize you were the JAS eTea man. Great service. You will be fueling my TAD more often to be sure.

Ages ago you graciously lent me your Feather AC so I could compare how such a tool fared against my straight razors.

I have successfully steamed two tuos now. I don't have a bamboo steamer, instead I put each in a large stainless soup pot and elevated the tuo above a small amount of water in a stainless vegetable steamer which has little 1" long legs. The lid of the pot is concave so it seems like there is little condensed steam that drops down onto the tuo during steaming. Still it is a fairly long process since I steam with active heat for not more than ten minutes then shut the heat off and let it sit covered for another 10 minutes or so. Then I take the hot tuo out and gently separate what releases freely onto a plate. Then the rest of the tuo is put back in the steamer for another session. I've done this with both raw and ripe tuos. And doing it this way I've found the steam water is not overly dark so I feel I'm retaining what I want to retain and not compromising the leaves adversely.

Fun stuff!

Chris L

 

[netsurfr]

Cool Chris! Glad that you have had success with the method. I don't use it very often since I am usually only trying out enough for a session from a cake. However, if you are drinking from the same cake or tuo, the steaming method is very convenient.
BTW, good to hear from you again.